Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides.
Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on
the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will need to join the MOA before you can post: click this register link to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

The ability with ‘«£Crusty's‘«ō two wheel drive and reverse is keeping us away from this ‘«£Internet‘«ō aspect on roads and campsites which we have not been able to reach before. ‘«£Big Bend‘«ō has changed into a new World for us. Here we are though now, out for a few days having put some photos together, a couple videos, a couple new entries into our Journal, these Chapters which maybe some day will form themselves into a thick Book!
The latest days were passed on ‘«£Old Ore Rd‘«ō witnessing the magical changes of a stage so present, from clear blue skies to storms, from hot to cold and all in between and windy curtain calls. It is what we do best at times having to come out for water and provisions, a bit of fuel and then on right back into the silence and quiet that have surrounded us lately.
We live in such a beautiful Country which never cease to amaze me. There are no Urban ruffles where we go, it is always Spirit and I and the sights as they were centuries ago.Enjoy, much more to discover.

So Much Inspiration - So Much Life !

The adventures of Ara and Spirit come across as so much more than a man on a motorcycle trip with his pet dog - I find it a soul searching journey inspiring so many along the way- those who enjoy reading, pictures, travel, camping, outdoors, motorcycles, vacations, etc.....Thanks for the efforts you have taken to share your experiences with all of us...no doubt many will read your journey on 2 wheels and finally decide that maybe, just maybe, they should jump in and enjoy our country too.

The adventures of Ara and Spirit come across as so much more than a man on a motorcycle trip with his pet dog - I find it a soul searching journey inspiring so many along the way- those who enjoy reading, pictures, travel, camping, outdoors, motorcycles, vacations, etc.....Thanks for the efforts you have taken to share your experiences with all of us...no doubt many will read your journey on 2 wheels and finally decide that maybe, just maybe, they should jump in and enjoy our country too.

Thank You for writing those kind words and understanding the Journey as we are all on "A Journey". The sharing is the source of it all as so many others [like you] also share as such. There is more than riding... Much more as much as 'riding" is the best Prescription of Life!
You be well... Ara and Spirit

I started thinking ‘«£in between what?‘«ō. Maybe between episodes? A Friend of mine wrote to me that he is trying to stay ‘«£Off the Grid‘«ō. That was the expression I was seeking for though we ‘«£are‘«ō off the grid ourselves and yet I long for maybe what I can call ‘«£Really 'off' the Grid‘«ō! I also call it ‘«£deeper in‘«ō and ‘«£more inland‘«ō. This ‘«£Oasis‘«ō of ours with power trickling from solar as are also showers with hot or hotter water on a sunny day, meals cooked with wood or again solar as a mean of heat, all for some reason, maybe being used to it, seems a bit ‘«£urban‘«ō as much as it is not.

We have been in and out of Terlingua lately listening to some good Music [Video on the Journal] and longing for the past days when spend on ‘«£Old Ore Rd‘«ō. Now looking at maps and trying to figure out our next destination in a couple of days. With almost 3 million acres ahead of us it is not a very difficult task.
So yes, this is a week ‘«£in between‘«ō with more Dentist and Dr visits giving me the clearance for another Healthy Year. No ‘«£hoping‘«ō, it just will be, positive thinking always. It is what makes us going, going... gone.

Another great space into the Park for a few days. Another interesting road, not as difficult as ‘«£Old Ore Rd‘«ō but with the prize of a nice hike to the ‘«£Balanced Rock‘«ō. Once again the weather was more than perfect, the skies allowed for the clouds daily to play around, sunrises, sunsets, all in between could have not been any more enjoyable. Much cooking this time around, the cooler it is, the more I will cook, the better I eat and the more Spirit most likely gets frustrated as he cannot handle Human food. Poor Buddy of mine, sensitive stomach. It is all so well as ‘«£Crusty‘«ō continues to perform, she was designed for those roads. Hoping to get back in there again soon, maybe lucky enough to get a site around ‘«£Terlingua Abaja‘«ō right before the Holiday Madness starts. Of course this is not an Urban environment, such madness is limited, yet, it is for us as Terlingua and the Park will fill up quickly. Enjoy the hike and the video.

I had more in mind calling this destination a ‘«£Dead End‘«ō. As it is. Coincidentally we were there the same day of the horrific saddening [as words escape me] of last week's senseless shooting ensuing the loss of so many Lives. The Children. It has now been a few days and I still cannot wrap my thoughts around it. This healing Desert is slowly allowing me to again face the daily present and not consider ‘«£that Day‘«ō as a ‘«£Dead End‘«ō of it all as much as it has felt like it. There are no other avenues here for one's mind to be distracted, as a ball of fire dropping into this landscape the images, physical and abstract have not gone away honestly not understanding much of it all, not comprehending neither how everyone has had the ability to go on ‘«£laughing‘«ō and ‘«£smiling‘«ō when there is nothing to do as such. But yes, Life goes on, this is the Society we live in wondering myself if we just have been conditioned toward such tragedies and if we are turning the pages just a bit too soon. It is a bit of a state of confusion I must say. My Heart goes for the Parents, the Families, the Friends and everyone which their Lives are now changed forever as mine did now almost 9 Years ago and still feels as it was yesterday.
At the same time the Holidays are upon us, maybe we can balance it all out never forgetting the ones when these times are not of Happy ones.
I don't know if all of this makes any sense.
I do wish you I am going to say ‘«£A Good Holiday‘«ō. That is to me the balance of these present times.

I split time between The Cincinnati Ohio area & near the Cape/Space Coast of Flordia.... when not out ... "travel'n"

Posts

375

Somebody...

...I guess; must be the next post to your comments Ara. Yet most of us, do NOT have the "space", that allows your perspective.
So... if this is difficult for you, with insight as you have; then I understand why I feel helpless. And myself as a grandparent...
I share your attempt at "balance", yet...
somehow on this eve of Christmas 2012, I do wish you happiness & Merry Christmas Ara.
As you say best... be well, always.

Travel'in John.... ."breathing is easy... but living takes effort; more so these difficult times"

...I guess; must be the next post to your comments Ara. Yet most of us, do NOT have the "space", that allows your perspective.
So... if this is difficult for you, with insight as you have; then I understand why I feel helpless. And myself as a grandparent...
I share your attempt at "balance", yet...
somehow on this eve of Christmas 2012, I do wish you happiness & Merry Christmas Ara.
As you say best... be well, always.

Travel'in John.... ."breathing is easy... but living takes effort; more so these difficult times"

Well said. Words to think about and ponder on. Thank You.

And a ‘«£Happy New Year‘«ō

...as we come out of ‘«£Big Bend National Park‘«ō after spending a few days camping at ‘«£Rattlesnake Mountain‘«ō. It is a Day like others yet does not feel as such. Such have become milestones for us, thinking we made it another Year and another one ahead of us wondering where this will take us, at what level will our Adventures climb up to? Some ideas are present, some decisions taken and now one step at the time to apply them all.
These past days in the Park were gifted with such incredible scenery, a weather so acceptable considering the snow coming down up North, some good riding and even meeting a few others also enjoying this land always so talkative.
A couple videos rendered today, one I am calling ‘«£The Moon climbing the Ocotillo‘«ō, it was luck being at the right place at the right time.
I found some footage from 7 Years ago [or more?] of the days when we received the sidecar, hooked it up and Spirit's first stay in it! I was choked myself watching it. I had to include it in another Video also in the Journal.
On to Terlingua now for the Annual ‘«£Black Eye Pea‘«ō Cook-Off. Why not? Many Friends there and familiar faces, smiling one which I am sure also are welcoming this New 2013 Year.
Enjoy...

It is starting to be indescribable to day in and day out have the freedom to roam. Seemingly one would think it would diminish, only the opposite is happening. Could it be the New Year and the thoughts that all these days of 2013 lay ahead of us? and then again, what is time? Dates?
We were gifted with some snow a couple days ago. I know the Northerners would not call it a ‘«£gift‘«ō but here in this vast Big Bend area it is what we call it as being a rarety, maybe a couple times per winter giving us also much water. We of course had to ride it as ‘«£Crusty‘«ō with her two wheel drive plowed through as being on pavement with much ease and fun.
It happened as on cue right after the New Year's Day ‘«£Black Eye Pea‘«ō Coo~Off by the Porch in Terlingua. A full day mixed in with ‘«£everyone‘«ō gathering around crock pots, Dutch Ovens, you name it. Big smiles, much chatting and much Music also and games and raffles. This is truly a special area of this beautiful Country we live in and feel so fortunate to have discovered it. The word is out!

This time around a physical and mental wintery time is setting in. Yet, lucky for us the weather is not near anything as abrupt and severe as the Northern spaces. With heated gear and an electric blanket for Spirit we can still move around. We also have Terlingua which I would almost say is ‘«£a town that never sleeps‘«ō as there is always something going on. ‘«£Farmers Market‘«ō on Saturdays, much Music on the Porch on Sundays, we stop by, we chat, we feel it all and then on back here to ‘«£The Oasis‘«ō trying to sort what I call some ‘«£stuff‘«ō and ‘«£things‘«ō out before Spring shows up. The snow is also long gone, the mud is still here more than ever this time around from also much rain, I feel a bit as I am vegetating and spinning my wheels. The shadows of a January of 9 Years ago is dropping by weighing over the present moments as I do not try to escape it but putting in much efforts to have smoother times. They are a bit of ‘«£flat times‘«ō pushing myself to stay busy, busier keeping my mind off the past, thinking about the good times trying to leave the dark ones tucked away as yet words of wisdom confront me, sometimes they are just a bit harder to comprehend and put to good use.Enjoy the Terlingua Music and one more Snow ride.

Weather in Big Bend! Our path is always about the weather. It dictates our coming and going. Staying put or roll down the roads with an acquired over these past years freedom. Right now after the rains and a bit of snow it has been as Paradise, as in sunny, warm and I might even go as far as saying ‘«£hot‘«ō. A hike throughout ‘«£Closed Canyon‘«ō had been on my mind for a while and the perfect day for it arrived. Even more perfect with the company of a good Friend we had not seen in years. The kind ‘«£we picked up where we had left off‘«ō. Another surprise was in store for us, pools of water adding to the beautiful vision of this Canyon carved from years of waters and debris passing through to finally end up in the Rio Grande. A larger pool however was awaiting about a mile into it. That was the end for us, we were not going to swim in the icy temperatures. Not that day. The destinations are endless within this area, where will we go next?

Winter in Southern Texas can be these almost warm balmy days and nights following each other, they can be the most exhilarating rides on the many roads present, paved and unpaved, yet the calendar does not spare certain dates coming around year after year. Sometimes it is Nature that wins it all pulling the senses into it's womb exposing herself with all her beauty and appeal, sometimes it is a date throwing a shadow of memories as on the 26ht from 9 years past.
That is just how the Journey is and it's acceptance and endurance of such days is making it possible to go on feeling it all as that is what matters ‘«£feeling it all‘«ō. There is no escape, only awaiting for time throughout it's course to smooth it out when it desires to do so.
‘«£Indian Trail‘«ō is a path which reminds me of many other spaces we have been to. It is a stretch of road that digs deep into the imagination of how all has been laid out. It takes my mind away from a certain present. The forms and shapes of the rocks are endless regardless how many times one has been there. There is always new discoveries.Enjoy it's Photos and a short Video.

The prescription for sanity, for the balance in one's Life as ours: ‘«£Riding‘«ō. Might be other avenues for others, such as driving, sailing, diving, climbing, soaring in the skies and more. So fortunate to be here for these winter times faced with only the decision of which roads to take on. One of my favorite loops came to mind through Alpine, Marfa, Pinto Canyon, Presidio, Terlingua and back up here. Turned out to be a cloudy day, one preferred for fewer stops while the video camera was rolling but not the hand held. It is as the miles can fill void created when not riding. Some paved roads, a bit of unpaved, a stop here and there as it is regardless a must for the both of us, all around a great day only to return when really not wanting to. Those days are near also as Spring seemingly has indeed arrived here, we are just awaiting for it to also make it's mark a bit north of us. ‘«£Old Faithful‘«ō was purring all day, it was as she has been reborn with an engine only having 30,000 miles on her, not even broken in. A strange concept when actually it's frame has over 300,000 miles. Enjoy the Photos, the Video.

Another day gone by, timeless zone prevalent at a stand still, the Big Bend spaces call me, one always has in particular which we here is called ‘«£The Swimming Hole‘«ō. It is on private property, yet shared by the Locals as the owner has basically deputized everyone to be responsible when enjoying the magnificent array of carved rocks from the violent flash floods of two creeks joining in. The road has been impassable till a few days ago, we now have been back already three times. They are Mother Nature's walls, not the kind poured in with man made angles. They are walls which have taken centuries to mold and now present times are exposed to one's imagination. This area does not stop amazing me me. It is as the seed, the center, the hub of all roads forking out toward the different other destinations throughout this so vast Country always calling me back to step up throughout this Mystery of Life we live. Regardless of it's reason for being on such roads, yes, as many have expressed toward us, it is a ‘«£Wonderful Life‘«ō.
Such choice is always ours.
Since you could not be there yourself, enjoy the few photos and a video.